Activity and Involvement in Israeli Society

1. Jewish Pluralism

Whereas previous Zionist Congresses have accepted a commitment to pluralism and support for equal rights for all streams in Judaism and have viewed these subjects as essential for the preservation of the unity of Am Yisrael and its connection with Zion (decision no. 93 of the 32nd Congress and decision 21 of the 33rd Congress), and

Whereas The Zionist Congress attaches great importance to subjects related to Jewish pluralism and recognition of the right of choice of word, thought and deed of secular and religious Jews of all streams, as a central element in viewing Israel as a Jewish Zionist and Democratic State, sees them as important and central in the world view of Zionism in this age, and is interested in strengthening the involvement of the representatives of the WZO in promoting these issues,

The Zionist Congress congratulates the decision made by High Court of Justice regarding the issue of conversion (20/02/2002) and calls upon the government of Israel to ensure the implementation of this decision according to its spirit and wording.

Therefore the Congress calls upon the Chairman of the Zionist Executive and the Executive and its representatives in the Jewish Agency to take all actions necessary to make clear to the Government of Israel and the Knesset that any action to move forward with the Conversion law at this time would bring about a serious undermining of Jewish unity, just when there is a crucial need for a united front of world Jewry in support of Israel.

The Zionist Congress praises the Jewish Agency and all those who have participated in the establishment of the Joint Institute for Jewish Studies. Only extensive national effort, built upon cooperation between the different streams in Judaism, has the power to respond to the challenge of converting the many immigrants from the Russian Federation who are not Jewish and wish to convert.

The Zionist Congress expresses its support of the implementation of free choice in marriage in Israel, and calls upon the Knesset to legislate a marriage a law that will allow any citizen of Israel to marry according to his/her worldview, whether in an Orthodox-religious, Conservative, Reform or Reconstructionist ceremony, or in a secular civil ceremony.

2. Strengthening Education for the Jewish Family

In the history of the Jewish People throughout the world, the Jewish family constituted the foundation of the society and the community.

Whereas the family unit is today being threatened by negative and destructive phenomena,

the Zionist Congress is instructed to take action in this matter and will act for the strengthening and support of the Jewish family, for the increased education for consciousness and of the importance of the family.

3. The Zionist Council in Israel

1. The Zionist Congress calls to strengthen the Zionist Council in Israel as a central factor for Zionist activity in Israel, and as a branch of the World Zionist Organization in Israel.

2. The Zionist Congress calls to strengthen the enterprises of the Zionist Council in Israel: the Zionist Council for Youth, the Amichai Preparation for Social Leadership, the Alei Tsameret for the training of social-community leadership and activities of the Zionist Council's jurisdictions and other similar programs.

3. The Zionist Congress calls upon the Zionist Council to expand its activity, mainly among shapers of public opinion, and to cultivate a forum similar to the Strategic Forum for the deepening of the Jewish-Zionist character of Israel.

4. The Zionist Congress praises the initiative of the Zionist Council to operate the Brit-Haim program for understanding and cooperation with the Druse sector.

5. The Zionist Congress calls upon the Zionist Council to expand the frameworks of those programs that deal with the integration of olim into Israeli society, and to increase the number of meetings and integrate olim into the activities of the Zionist Council.

6. The Zionist Congress calls to support the Achva project of the Zionist Council, to expand the number of conference days and seminars for acquaintance with the Jewish People and Jewish communities in Israeli society, especially among youth and young people.

4. "The People of Israel are Responsible for One Another"

The 34th Zionist Congress resolves to operate together with government and public elements in Israel, in order to deepen the awareness that "the people of Israel are responsible - one for the other".

5. Rights and Civil Duties

1. The Zionist Movement determines that military service is part of the basic civil duties in Israel. The Movement calls upon the government to suggest alternative frameworks of parallel civil service for members of minorities, for religious women, and for additional groups, not recruited into the army. This service will provide its graduates with full rights, equal to the rights of those who have completed their military service.

2. The Movement calls to prevent new legislation that allows Rabbinical courts power over civil courts in matters of the family.

6. Legislation of a Basic Law for Freedom of Religion

1. The Zionist Congress supports and joins the struggle for the legislation of a Basic Law for freedom of religion.

The Zionist Congress considers this of utmost importance for the unity of the Jewish People in general, for the creation of equality between the different streams in Judaism.

The Zionist Congress supports the elementary principles of the Basic Law for freedom of religion, which are:

a. No discrimination based on religion
b. Equality for all streams within Judaism.
c. Freedom of choice between "religious and civil" marriage and divorce

2. The Zionist Congress demands of the Interior Ministry to recognize non-Jewish parents of children who serve in the IDF and who are Israeli citizens according to the Law of Return, and to grant them Israeli citizenship immediately.

3. The Zionist Congress calls upon the Government of Israel to enact a law that will allow IDF soldiers to be buried without relation to their religious stream or ethnic origin.

7. The Role of the Israel Department

The World Zionist Organization has engraved the ideal of aliyah to Israel on its banner and is attempting to achieve this by investing financial and educational resources. The World Zionist Organization must set challenges for young people who arrive in Israel, within the frameworks of projects intended to reduce socioeconomic gaps in Israeli society. This activity will be lead by new olim, who will also participate, in areas of poverty, unemployment and violence.

Whereas the Zionist Movement must map out the challenges that young immigrants will be faced with as goals of their activities,

The World Zionist Organization will suggest to the Israel Department of the Jewish Agency a range of unique projects for the improvement of Israeli society in which to be involved.

In our present difficult times, it is necessary to increase the involvement of the Jewish communities in the Diaspora in social activities in the State of Israel.

There is general agreement in Israel and abroad regarding the need to promote these issues.

We suggest that the 34th Zionist Congress encourage:

1. Joining the activities of young people during their Shnat Sherut in development towns and in poverty stricken neighborhoods.

2. Joining the program for young leadership, a program for the recognition of social, communal, educational and political frameworks.

3. Realization within the urban framework in weak cities and poverty stricken neighborhoods in joint projects of the youth movements worldwide and in Israel.

4. Increasing the budgets allocated for encouraging and bringing young people and adolescents into short and long term programs in Israel, so as to grant each young Jew worldwide the right to come closer his/her Zionist heritage and his/her Jewish roots.

8. Social Involvement of Students in the Diaspora

The 34th Zionist Congress considers the social involvement of students from the Diaspora as of great importance, in long-term or short-term programs, in whose framework they arrive in Israel.

9. Support for the Israeli Government and the Security Forces

Due to the firm policy against the terror infrastructures, the 34th Zionist Congress expresses its support for the Prime Minister and the Israeli government.

The 34th Zionist Congress strengthens the hands of the IDF soldiers and security forces, operating for the security of Israel's residents day and night.

10. Recognition of the Druse in Israel

The Zionist Congress praises the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency, and the Zionist Council in Israel on their involvement in projects of cooperation, and on creating stronger ties of friendship with the ethnic group of the Druse. It calls for the cultivation of the relationship with this ethnic group as a faithful partner in the Zionist establishment and in the State of Israel.

On this matter, the Zionist Congress praises the activity of the Brit-Haim program for meetings for Jewish-Druse cooperation.

11. The Zionist Youth Council

I. The Zionist Congress praises the activity of the Zionist Youth Council for the cultivation of Zionist ideological youth leadership in Israel, and calls upon the World Zionist Organization to strengthen this activity, and to aid in the expansion of the circle of branches and activists of the Zionist Council throughout the country.

The Zionist Congress praises the project of the "Zionist Congress for Youth", having the aim of increasing the involvement of youth in the life of the society and the State, and calls upon all bodies which are part of the project, first and most important among them being the Zionist Council in Israel, to increase the number of youth participating in it.

II. The Zionist Congress praises the Zionist Council for the establishment of the pre-military preparatory school "Amichai" for developing social Zionist leadership among the religious and the secular.

The Zionist Congress calls upon the Zionist Organization to aid the preparatory school in expanding its activity.

III. The Zionist Congress views positively the increased cooperation between the Zionist Council and the Jewish National Fund.

The Zionist Congress praises the initiative for the covenant of cooperation between the two bodies, which is meant to increase the common enterprises, specifically in the field of education, of both institutions.